Dinner with the girls

Last night was the annual have dinner for the birthday of one of my good girl friends Virg. I have known her for 19 years and also with F (my new manager at work and good friend - we have known each other since our first year in law school that was 1984 - yes - 20 years!).

Increasingly when we do meet I find we talk about surgical and non surgical cosmetic interventions. Mostly about the people we know who have had some work done. But last night it ventured into talk of what they are considering in the not to distant future. Botox is definately on the cards and to my surprise perhaps a nose job! Not a complete change of nose but a bump being ironed out. Virg informed us that as we get older and the skin on our face sags our noses will actually continue to grow and if you had a prominent nose before - then basically watch out!

I don't have the prominent nose - but I have to admit I recently noticed a frown line on my forehead which is there despite the fact that I am not frowning. Both F and Virg do have noses - not unattractive because they are very attractive women but they have both had nose injuries in the past and the bumps are something they now want to attend to.

I had thought that I wouldn't have any cosmetic work done but last night gave me cause me to think again - what if I don't will I be the most aged looking and wrinkled out of all of us! I got through my pre-teens, teens and 20's without succumbing to peer group pressure and had thought it was over and done with. Now here it is again!

My theory is that we are being influenced by the cosmetic surgery industry because in the last 24 months the media has been inundating us with cosmetic surgery magic stories and how the most ordinary people have access to it. No longer the bastion of celebraties and movie stars - yes we too can have the lovely shiny renovation. I don't think I want to look like I have had some "work" done - is there such a thing as growing old gracefully with a minimum amount of non-surgical interventions?

My other theory is that this cosmetic surgery indulgence may only be apparent in my generation because we are the last generation of sun damaged adults - our children have been protected because of what we have learned. The next generation shouldn't age as quickly due to protection from the sun. Or it could go the other way and given that my generation appear to be embracing cosmetic surgery - the next generation won't even give it a second thought like I am now and it will become common place.